Are st Bernards a good choice for a first time dog owner?

>>2296949
Why

>>2296951
big, strong, if they happen to be stubborn, you're fucked
also hairy, may be problematic if you're not used to having hair EVERYWHERE

>>2296955
but they seem so nice and gentle

Watch Beethoven

>>2296962
are you trolling and I totaly fall for it? use your thinker. if you're inexperienced with dogs, get one you can physically handle first. doesn't matter if it's a calm and loving breed or if it usually listens to everything you say, all kinds of shit happen in life. simply if it runs on a street and you can't hold him back, that kind of fuckups.

I've only ever had a spaniel myself (as my first dog), but from what I've seen I can recommend an aussie shepherd if you're an outside type yourself (get to know the dog if you can first, characters and breeds aren't always congruent. met a husky that hated running once, she was a sit, stare and lick your face kind of dog.) or something like a poodle if you're not

>>2296967

A poodle may not have husky's energy level, but it's certainly not a breed for someone who just wants to sit around. They're still a water dog at heart, no matter what their show clip may imply, and they require a ton of training and exercise.

You need to know way more about a person than "outdoorsy y/n" to recommend a breed.

>>2296967
https://youtu.be/SCgcnxH-7IY


seems manageable desu

>>2296973
ofc, that's what I said, as in the rest of the post
and all dogs are dogs at heart, all of them wanna play fetch for a bit or run around. I'd never recommend any dog to a couch potato.

>>2296983
and now imagine he's all grown up and one day decides to cross the street, without seeing a truck coming. can you hold him bakc if he for some stupid reason decides to ignore you?
just saying: caution.

>>2296989
Aren't choke collars during puppy hood good for this?

I understand their larger size is a cause for concern for a first time dog owner but doesn't it get balanced out by their even temperament and (assuming) I do a lot of research on how to properly raise a dog and enlist it in doggy daycare and the like?

I mean it's not like I'm getting a Caucasian ovcharka and stuffing him in a tiny apartment all day.

>>2296993
>enlist it in doggy daycare
that's what I was about to suggest, mostly because you're the one who has to learn more than the dog -for now-
I didn't mean to imply you'd be a bad dogkeeper, sorry if it sounded like that.
about "unfriendly" collars: they *can* be quete useful, my mother-in-law has her shepherd on a prong collar, but don't use it all the time or leave it on for whole days at a time, because the dog gets used to it quite fast, and (you can actually feel it after a week or so) start growing thicker fur at the neck, so the collar kind of looses its "sting".
chances are good you won't even need one, your dog trainer can tell you better (than any of us here can) once he gets to know you and the dog

all the bitching about the size is based on my personal exp, ofc there are loads more things to consider. I'm no expert by far...

>>2296922
Tbh if you're willing to put the work in and train it properly any dog is fine for a first dog. Remember dogs are a 10-15 year commitment though, I couldnt imagine committing that much time into a breed I'm not fond of because some autist on the internet said it wasnt for beginners.

(not OP)
what's the biggest dog I could realistically get as a first dog?
I've already taken care of an untrained and stubborn bernese mountain dog, and it was awesome, but I never did it for more than two weeks at a time

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>>2296922
I was once petting two St Bernards for a few minutes. Afterwards, I had to change my clothes and clean up; the clothes that I had been wearing were completely covered in fur and drool.
I've dealt with dogs shedding or slobbering before, it's nothing new. However, the volume of fur and drool was so massive that I don't think I could handle dealing with it in my daily life. If you want a St Bernard, you should consider whether you're dedicated enough for that stuff.

>>2296983
That's still a puppy, it's gonna grow bigger and stronger.

>>2297171
>drool
Yes! When I worked at Petsmart there was a guy with one and he would keep a few rags with him as drool rags. Not just 1 because the dog would go through at least 2 by the time they got to me at the register. So. Much. Drool.

A dog that size would not be good for a new owner, if you want a larger dog I suggest maybe a samoyed better for training. Trust me I own a dog walking business and one of the owners dogs I walk is a mastiff that is 180lb she is very well trained but that is only because her owners have lots of experience raising dogs and put a lot of time into her, she will not eat off the floor and will only eat her food if you say she can have it she is a gentle giant but that is only because how well trained she is and that took five years.

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>>2297279
I own a saint and I have to keep a bandanna attached to her. The drool has to be managed or it creates stains everywhere .

Due to their size/strength, messiness, short lifespan, and health issues, id say not really. Sounds like you'd only want one because of the gentle giant reputation and because they look unique

>>2297440
Why is being attracted to a dog because they have a reputation of being gentle bad?

>>2297447
It's not inherently bad. But some dogs that have gentle natures require a ton of extra care and maintenance that a first time dog owner might be prepared for. E.g. The drool and shedding mentioned by other anons in this thread for St.Bernards.

Great Danes are also extremely gentle, but their size is just insane. They can easily destroy things without meaning to, they grow up to weigh as much as a full grown adult, and they need a lot of exercise.

It's not bad to be drawn to a gentle breed at all--imo it's much better than wanting a dog breed based on how ferocious it looks or simply because it's a cute meme dog. But I just wouldn't recommend large, heavy shredders and heavy droolers to a first-time dog owner.

If you're a first time dog owner either adopt a shelter mutt if you want an adult dog or get a Labrador if you want a puppy

>>2296922
I have two and they are the best dogs ever. They are good boys

>>2297447
Because then you expect them to inherently behave like that even though they still require a ton of time, socalization, and training. Same reason so many people are idiots with dogs like labradors and end up with an aggressive dog because they fell for the "nice breed, good for first time owner" meme and didn't put in as much work as they needed to because they're told how inherently nice and easy the dogs are. It's setting the dog and owner up for failure.

I got a Pyr earlier this year, which is fairly similar to St Bernard in temperament and health and size. I've had chows in the past, so I thought training would be easy. >>2296955 has the point I want to get across. While my chows were stubborn, I could out muscle them. The pyr is far larger and stronger and also WAY more stubborn, making him one of the hardest dogs I've ever had to train. He is certainly the sweetest, most gentle creature I've ever handled, but he's also the only dog who is able to knock me to the ground when he got too excited. He just turned 1, so he has more growing to do as well.

It's not bad to be attracted to some breed traits like gentleness, but don't ignore the ones that could be problems.

>>2297584

God Pyrs are so beautiful. Most of them are beautiful dogs on the inside too.

I used to dogsit for a girl that had one that was a rescue that never barked, and I tell you that dog was the absolute most gentle creature I've ever met. And goofy. And floofy.

God, I miss that doggo.

>>2296922
Dude, you can get a fucking pitbull as a first time dog as long as you know what you get yourself in to. Don't just do it on a whim. I've wanted a dog for like 5 years, and I spent probably a year or so reading up on how to train him in the best way etc. He was more well-behaved after 2.5 weeks with me (less than 3 months of age) than any dog any family member has had. Don't buy in to this whole dominance myth, and treat your dog as your best friend and he will show you nothing but love. Seriously, you have nothing to worry about. A good advice could be to check out Zak George on YouTube or read his book.

>>2297730
honestly this. even a "difficult" breed will be a better dog if they're raised by an owner who actually knows what they're doing than an "easy" breed raised by someone who isn't putting a lot of work into their dog just because they think that because "labs are nice dogs" that they don't need to. It's that simple

>>2296955

This.

Hard time having friends over, she gets aggressively defensive and can bite if you don't stop her.

she's endearingly sweet otherwise when she's just with me and my family.

>>2297163
bump

>>2297163

What's your home situation like? Apartment or house with yard?
What exercise are you willing to do? Intense workout or casual stroll/trot? Is it excessively hot or cold where you live?

These will help.

>>2299214
house with a incredibly small yard but there are parks not far away (like two minutes walking)
I'm not the athlethic type, but I'm willing to walk long distances
Where I live has got pretty much the same weather as england

>>2296922
my aunt had 2, both of them had Epilepsy, one died from a heart attack and the other one caught some illness from a tick and quickly died. And one of the dogs had to take Phenobarbital everyday for her Epilepsy.

>>2296922

Thats a show bred peice of shit.

A St Bernard should look like a NZ huntaway.

no hell no

You're not ready

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>Is this gigantic beast of a dog good for first time owners?

>>2296922
>Are st Bernards a good choice for a first time dog owner?

Nah...

Most first time owners fail to properly train and discipline their dogs, and this is problematic as fuck when your dog grows to be a 150 pound plus hyper active puppy....which happens within the first 6 to 7 months.

Then there's the fur and slobber issue that turns off a lot of people with big dogs.

Lastly, the expense is a lot more than people anticipate between food, toys, and medical bills. Most St. Bernard dogs....hell, most pure bred dogs, are genetic fuck ups today and suffer chronic diseases that need expensive treatment due to shitty breeding practices. The bigger the dog, the more expensive the treatment.

Get a smaller breed first and see if you actually want to take care of a dog before you get a giant breed.

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>>2297730

>>2299299

Honestly wanna say a gray hound, m8. They can get very tall but do well with small areas + regular exercise. Large dogs like st Bernard and Pyrs don't require a lot of exercise but like to roam around large properties.

>>2300354
that's the only breed I don't like haha
Maybe I'll just forget about huge dogs and get a sheperd or a mutt

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>>2296922
are whippets good doggos anyone have one. i found out they are good for cardio gains.

>>2296922
No, as stated many times in this thread.

-Size and strength are not to be underestimated.

-Require effective training from an early age (if you're not experienced at this it will be a problem, even if the breed is generally good-natured)

-Coat requires a ton of grooming

Pitbulls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_jW0J2l9so

>>2296922
No, get a dog tat you are able to physically overpower if something goes wrong.

>>2297730

i have made the exact experience.
>want a dog (for Hunting)
>spent about 1 year learning and reading about dogs and the behaviour
>talked to dog owneers who knows how to handle a dog and learn from them
>finally got a puppy
>its 8 month now and everyone is wondering why its so good behaving
>follows by feets wihout a leash
>if i call for him hes instantly there
>everyone wonders what a good boy he is

Its just the way how serious you take your dog. Dont worry about the strength or weight. If you teach your dog the right way he wont just run without a warning etc.

Just do it if you think you know enough about what it takes to own and handle a dog.